Updated: 15.05
Management of the Metro Hotel in north Dublin say it will remain closed for some time following a fire.
Gardaí have begun an investigation into the cause of a the major blaze which engulfed several floors on Wednesday night.
Sections of the area remain cordoned off and diversions are in place.
Around 200 people were safely evacuated after the blaze broke out.
The fire erupted on an upper floor of the hotel in Ballymun at around 7.30pm.
Eight fire engines, 60 fire fighters and a range of other emergency services brought the blaze under control in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The Metro Hotel in Ballymun. Image: Paul Quinn/Newstalk
There are no reports of any injuries.
The top five floors of the building have been badly damaged. Two floors have been completely gutted - while the other have seen significant damage.
In a statement, hotel management say: "Metro Hotel wishes to apologise to hotel patrons and guests that the hotel is currently closed, and will remain closed for some time, following a fire.
"Metro Hotel is actively engaging with emergency services following the fire which occurred at around 7.30pm on Wednesday evening.
"All hotel guests (over 150) as well as the residents of 30 apartments attached to the hotel are accounted for and were relocated to the nearby Carlton Hotel for the night.
"The key focus of hotel staff today is to notify inbound guests and to source alternative accommodation for tenants and guests, with whom we will be liaising throughout today."
It adds that access to personal belongings located in the hotel and apartments "is restricted" until clearance is received from emergency services.
"The cause of the fire is still being investigated. No decision can be made about a hotel re-opening date until the cause of the fire has been established and all safety considerations have been thoroughly assessed", the statement concludes.
Chief fire officer Patrick Fleming said that, at this stage, there is no reason to believe there was anything suspicious about the cause of the blaze:
“The first crews when they arrived were faced with a well-developed fire on the 13th floor,” he said.
“They immediately set about further evacuation of the premises and immediate fire-fighting.
“The fire developed and moved to the 10th floor of the building itself.
“We were fighting the fire both internally and externally and great work was done by the crews in actually bringing it under control.”
This resident was devastated:
"I just went to the gym for 30 minutes, came back home and saw the apartment was on fire," he said.
"I lost everything - all my clothes, furniture, everything."
Local councillor Paul McAuliffe was said the incident is a blow for the entire area:
“It is going to have a major impact on business in the area as well because obviously the hotel was a significant part of the business life of Ballymun,” he said.
“So something like this will have a long lasting effect for everybody.”
Crews from @DubFireBrigade remain at scene of #BallymunFire at #metrohotel pic.twitter.com/CSioClBSHT
— Paul Quinn (@pdquinn7) March 22, 2018
He praised Dublin Fire Brigade for their hard work and commitment.
Officials have confirmed there were no homeless families staying at the hotel.
Additional reporting: Jack Quann
